Evacuation lifted for Peak 2 Fire near Breckenridge

Above: 3-D map of the Peak 2 Fire, July 7, 2017.

(Originally published at 7 a.m. MDT July 8, 2017)

Residents of the 463 homes in the Peak 7 neighborhood near the Peak 2 Fire north of Breckenridge, Colorado were able to return to their homes Friday night for the first time since the fire started July 5. The fire has burned 74 to 84 acres, about the size of an 18-hole golf course, but no one would ever build a golf course on terrain this steep (see map above).

Todd Pechota’s Type 1 Incident Management Team assumed command at 6 a.m. Friday.

The resources assigned to the fire include 8 hand crews, 15 engines, and 8 helicopters for a total of 362 personnel.

Peak 2 Fire near Breckenridge slowed overnight

Above: Map of the Peak 2 Fire (shown in pink) created by the incident management team at 9:03 p.m. MDT July 5, 2017.

(Originally published at 7:55 a.m. MDT July 6, 2017)

The Peak 2 Fire two miles north of the ski runs at Breckenridge, Colorado slowed late Wednesday afternoon and at 7 a.m. Thursday showed very little vigorous fire activity.

At 7 p.m. Wednesday Colorado’s Multi Mission Aircraft mapped it at 84 acres.

Structures are threatened and evacuations are in effect for the Peak 7 housing development.

The photo below was posted at 6:41 a.m. Thursday by Carol McKinley.

The fire was reported at about 11 a.m. Wednesday near the ski resort 50 air miles west of Denver. Aircraft worked the fire that afternoon, along with eight Boise smokejumpers and a hotshot crew. Additional resources have been ordered.

At a media briefing Wednesday it was announced that a Type 1 Incident Management Team would arrive at the fire on Thursday.

The weather forecast for the fire area at 10,000 feet calls for 78 degrees, 26 percent relative humidity, and northwest winds of 8 mph gusting to 13.

The video below was shot Wednesday before the fire activity slowed late in the afternoon.


And below, another photo shot during the height of activity on the Peak 2 Fire near Breckenridge at 3 p.m.

Peak 2 Fire causes evacuations north of Breckenridge, Colorado

In the map above of the Peak 2 Fire, the red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 3:54 p.m. MDT July 5, 2017.

(Originally published at 6:41 p.m. MDT July 5, 2017)
(Updated at 7:25 p.m. MDT July 5, 2017)

The Peak 2 Fire spread rapidly after it was reported just after 11 a.m. Wednesday morning between Breckenridge and Frisco near popular ski areas 50 air miles west of Denver. It is 2 miles north of the northernmost ski runs at Breckenridge.

At 5 p.m. fire officials estimated the size at 80 acres. According to Summit County the community of Peak 7, approximately 463 residences, is under evacuation. Residents of Breckenridge, Gold Hill and Silver Shekel have been asked to prepare for evacuation.

No structures have been destroyed and Highway 9 is open.

Aircraft have been working the fire, as well as eight Boise smokejumpers and a hotshot crew. Additional resources have been ordered.

The fire is being managed under the Unified Command of the US Forest Service, the Summit County Sheriff, and the Red, White and Blue Fire Protection District. Bill Jackson the local US Forest Service District Ranger on the White River National Forest said in a 7 p.m. briefing that a Type 1 Incident Management Team will assume command at noon on Thursday.

There are reports that late in the afternoon the fire activity decreased, but below are photos from earlier in the day as the fire was spreading more rapidly.